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Chipper out after fluid forms in left knee

Chipper out after fluid forms in left knee

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PHOENIX -- Braves third baseman Chipper Jones was out of the starting lineup against the D-backs on Thursday after fluid formed around the joint of his surgically repaired left knee on the flight from Atlanta to Arizona.

Jones missed two of the first three games of the series against the Brewers last weekend after fluid formed around the joint on the flight back to Atlanta from Houston. He played two games against the Astros during that series.

"Unfortunately, when I get fluid down in the joint, my range of motion is not real good," Jones said. "There's no need to push it right now. We'll just take it one day at a time and hopefully it will get better in the morning."

Jones, who had arthroscopic surgery on March 26 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, played three consecutive games for the first time this year on Tuesday against the Mets. He woke up Wednesday with normal soreness in his upper leg muscles and was out of the starting lineup in the series finale. He did make an appearance as a pinch-hitter.

"We're going to have to manage that, and I got no problems with that," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "That's why I talked to him in the office -- just let him know that we won't try to play through stuff and lose you for 10 days. I'd rather give him two on and take two off and keep you the whole year than try to push you then all of a sudden we lose you for 15 days."

After the series against the D-backs, the Braves have a short flight to Los Angeles for three games against the Dodgers starting on Monday, followed by a cross-country flight back to Atlanta for a series against the Pirates that starts after an off-day on Thursday.

Gonzalez anticipates giving Jones a day off before or after the scheduled off-day.

"It will get better. It's a four-to-six week's injury, and I made it back in 15 days," Jones said. "I'm going to have some residual stuff that happens from time to time."